"Rockdale, my hometown, is Texas' heart and significant part of its soul," George Sessions Perry wrote in his book, Texas: A World Unto Itself. Perry wrote with lifelong affection about his hometown, first as a novelist and later as a magazine journalist. He describes the pioneers of Rockdale as typical of restless Southerners who hitched their wagons and moved to Texas after the Civil War. . . . Clay Coppedge . . .

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Thursday, May 29, 2014

Death - Geo. W. Wallis of Rockdale was taken with a severe hemorrhage last Friday evening and died in a very short while. He had been in ill health for a year or two. Burial was at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery. The Thorndale Thorn, May 23, 1902

On the 16th of this month Geo. W. Wallis died at his home in Rockdale after months of declining health, the spark of life gradually becoming extinct. Deceased was 41 years of age and was born at Mountain Home, Arkansas. He came from that state to Texas and settled at Rockdale in 1884. For a number of years he held a position as salesman with the large mercantile house of Scarbrough & Hicks, and in this capacity he formed an extended acquaintance and was held in the highest esteem by all. Fourteen years ago he married Miss Mattie Hale, who survives him. He severed his connection with Scarbrough & Hicks to engage in business for himself, embarking in the drug business. He was the senior member of the firm of Wallis & Giesecke and afterwards of the firm of Wallis & Hale. For a time he was sole proprietor of the business, but ill health forced him to abandon it entirely. He then engaged in the fire insurance business with his brother-in-law, G.M. Ryan, and was thus associated at the time of his death. He was for years a consistent member of the Baptist church, being zealous and active. He carried a number of life insurance policies and left his little family well provided for. We knew George Wallis almost during the entire life of his residence in this county, and admired his true nobility of character. He was always genial and happy and it was ever a pleasure to grasp his hand in friendship's greeting. We join a host of friends in extending condolence to his bereaved family. Cameron Herald, May 29, 1902

Sunday, May 25, 2014

An enthusiastic meeting of substantial citizens was held here this evening, having for its objects the erection of a public school building and the furtherance of the educational interests of the city. The meeting was conducted by men who do not confine themselves to idle talk, but execute any enterprise undertaken. The result will be that Rockdale will ere long boast of a public school which will do credit to any city. The matter was placed in the hands of the following committee: -- Judge J.S. Perry, Thos. F. Hudson, B. Loewenstein, G.W. Baines, Jr. Galveston Daily News, May 25, 1880

Rockdale, Tex., May 24. -- Dr. T.E. Riddle, 95, died Wednesday night. Funeral services were held Thursday. Dr. Riddle a native of Tennessee, came to Texas with his parents when 10 years old. He was a Confederate Veteran, and served in McCoy's Frontier Regiment, Company F. In January, 1868, Dr. Riddle came from Lavaca to Milam County and settled where he has since lived and died. Dr. Riddle had practiced his profession in Rockdale and community for more than 60 years. He was a familiar figure on horseback as he answered calls until the past eight years. Sept. 2, 1933, Dr. Riddle celebrated his 95 birthday with a dinner. Oct. 19, Dr. and Mrs. Riddle celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary. Surviving him are his widow, and the following children: Ed and Jack Riddle of Rockdale, Dr. Howe Riddle of Coweta, Okla., Scudder Riddle and Mrs. Billy Senne of California, Mrs. Lilly Tumey of New York and Mrs. John Moses of Ralls, Tex. San Antonio Express, Friday, May 25, 1934

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

The Rockdale Reporter complains that The Galveston News clips from the Rockdale Reporter and credits to the Rockdale Messenger. Don't mind it. Probably the Messenger is mad also. Galveston Daily News, May 21, 1888

Friday, May 16, 2014

Rockdale, Tex., May 15. -- The Rockdale public schools will close May 29, the graduating exercises being held on that night at the opera house. There are fourteen graduates, as follows: Misses Catherine Sanford, Ester Jenness, Florence Dunnington, Louise Brodnax, Lucille Poole, Lorena Harris, Minnie Hamilton, Mollie Stein, Pearl Woody and Olive Branch; Messrs. Jamie Wallis, Will Norris Hale, Homer Turner and Edgar Lingert. The annual class address will be delivered on that occasion by Dr. Frank Seay of Southwestern University. The baccalaureate sermon will be preached at the Presbyterian Church on Sunday, May 24, at 11 a.m. by Rev. E.G. Cook. . . .

The Rockdale School Board has selected seven members of the next year's faculty of the Rockdale public schools, as follows: C.G. Green, superintendent; R.L. Grogan, principal; Miss Lena Rogan, High School history; Miss Florence Hubert, primary; Miss Helen Kone, second grade; Miss Irma Porter, third grade; Miss Minnie Foster, intermediate, arithmetic. All are re-elected, having served one or more years each. Five other teachers are yet to be elected. Dallas Morning News, May 16, 1914

Death - Sandy Creek - Mr. Pat Sudbury was killed at the Olsen mines on Thursday evening at 5:45 p.m. by falling into the shaft. He was pushing a car up the slope to the shaft to put it on the cage and send it to the top. When he got to the shaft, thinking the cage was in position for him to load his coal, he pushed it on into the open shaft and this jerked him over the car and he fell to the bottom, a distance of 58-feet. His neck and jaw were broken, besides being bruised otherwise. He leaves a wife and four small children. Rockdale Messenger, May 16, 1901

Monday, May 12, 2014

Rockdale, Texas. May 11. -- B. Loewenstein Sr., 78 years old, died Friday morning in the Cameron Hospital after nearly three months' illness. Mr. Loewenstein was a native of Germany, coming to America as a lad, and was a pioneer citizen of Rockdale. He was in business here for about fifty years. Funeral services and burial will be held Sunday. Dallas Morning News, May 12, 1923

Saturday, May 10, 2014

To Correspondents -- When writing a letter to this department, first give your full name, postoffice and state. Use pen and ink, on smooth paper, not larger than note size. Write only on one side of the paper and do not sew, paste or pin the sheets together. These rules must be observed to insure publication.

RUSH WITCHER, Rockdale, Tex. -- Mr. Big Hat and cousins: I have been reading the Cozy Corner and think it very interesting. I live eight miles from Rockdale, in the black land. I have not been in Texas long. My home is in Mississippi. My brother, myself and a friend are "keeping batch." We do our own cooking. We hunt and fish some and live very happy. But we are not old batchelors. We do not aim to keep batch always. My friend is a subscriber to your paper. I like it very much. My age is 17 years. Galveston Daily News, May 10, 1896

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Death - L.C. Meyer Drowned - Luis C. Meyer, mail carrier on Rt. 1 was accidentally drowned Monday afternoon while making his return trip. The accident happened on the Rockdale and Burton road at Cottonwood Hollow between Hogg and Chriesman Chapel. Ordinarily this so-called branch is dry but the rains Monday had converted it into a raging torrent. No one saw the accident but some one heard him yell and Wright Watson, Steve Bubnik and Lee Wolz went to see what was the matter and found Meyer's horse standing on the bank, the harness having been cut to free the horse from the hack and the hack itself had been washed some distance downstream. Meyer was nowhere to be seen. A further search disclosed his body hanging in a barb-wire fence of the Krall pasture and when taken down, the body was shone to have a number of cuts. Burial in the Masonic cemetery under the Hermann Sons lodge. He leaves a wife and two children, Fred Meyer of Rockdale and Mrs. Arthur Tomlinson of Rosebud. Cameron Herald, May 7, 1914